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Spend in 10 international currencies and take advantage of locked-in exchange rates with the Cash Passport travel card.

The Cash Passport Mastercard is a prepaid travel Mastercard that lets you load up to 10 major currencies, allowing you to spend in multiple regions with ease while travelling. Enjoy the security of locked-in exchange rates and the safety of not having to carry cash around as well as the convenience and wide acceptance of a Mastercard. It’s also easy to manage this card via online banking, so you can load money and convert currencies while on the go.

Mastercard Prepaid sets the foreign exchange rates when you load or reload funds, and the rates can vary daily. When converting funds from one currency wallet to another on your card, Mastercard Prepaid will also determine the applicable foreign exchange rates at the time of the transaction.

When spending in a currency that isn’t supported by or loaded on the card, Mastercard Prepaid will apply its designated “spend rate” for conversion and funds will be debited from your card from the next available currency balance following the default currency order:

Default currency order

1. Australian dollars (AUD)

2. United States dollars (USD)

3. Euros (EUR)

4. Great British pounds (GBP)

5. New Zealand dollars (NZD)

6. Thai baht (THB)

7. Canadian dollars (CAD)

8. Hong Kong dollars (HKD)

9. Japanese yen (JPY)

10. Singapore dollars (SGD)

So, let’s say you’re travelling in Vietnam and have Australian dollars and euros loaded on your card. This means that if you swipe your Cash Passport in Vietnam to pay for dinner in Vietnamese dong, your card will be debited in Australian dollars at Mastercard Prepaid’s spend rate. If your Australian dollar wallet does not have sufficient funds to cover the full transaction, your next currency wallet with a positive balance will be deducted. As you didn’t have US dollars loaded on the card, the funds will be deducted from your euros wallet. Again, Mastercard Prepaid will determine the spend rate for converting dong into euros

Where can I use my Cash Passport?

This travel card offers the worldwide acceptance of a Mastercard, which means that you can use it online, in stores and at international ATMs wherever you find the Mastercard symbol. However, some restrictions apply, such as the card not working in certain countries due to Mastercard-imposed restrictions. You also cannot use the Cash Passport for manual transactions or unlawful activities.

Features of the Cash Passport

Additional cardholders. At the time of obtaining your card, you may purchase an additional card for $5.

Worldwide ATM alliance. The Mastercard network ensures that you are able to make ATM withdrawals anywhere in the world where Mastercard is electronically accepted.

Online account. Easily manage your Cash Passport online while staying on top of your expenditure with your online account. You can check balances, view transaction history, transfer between currencies and reload funds online even when you’re on the move.

How much does the Cash Passport cost?

This table explains the associated costs of this card and when you’ll be charged each fee.

Type of fee

Cost

When you’ll be charged

Purchase fee

$0

N/A

Initial load fee

$0

N/A

Reload fee

$0 for bank transfers and online reloads (except when using debit cards)

1% of the reload amount when using BPAY

$5 for each load transaction using a debit card

You pay this fee each time you reload funds on your card after the initial load.

Administrative fee

Up to the greater of 1.1% of the load/reload amount or $15

You pay this fee when you purchase and load or reload your card in-store with the assistance of a customer service representative.

Currency conversion fee

$0

When you convert funds from one currency to another or when you transact in a currency that isn’t supported or loaded on the card, you won’t be charged a fee. Please note that the Mastercard prepaid exchange rates will apply, though.

International ATM withdrawal fee

USD 2.50

EUR 2.50

GBP 2.00

NZD 3.50

THB 80.00

CAD 3.50

HKD 18.00

JPY 260.00

SGD 3.50

AUD 3.50

You pay this fee for making a cash withdrawal from an overseas ATM using your Cash Passport. For international ATM withdrawals in countries other than those with supported currencies on the card, you’ll be charged the Australian dollar withdrawal fee.

Domestic ATM withdrawal fee

2.95% of withdrawal amount

You pay this fee when withdrawing cash from an ATM within Australia.

Additional card fee

$5

You pay this fee when you opt for an extra card at the time of purchase.

Replacement card fee

$0

N/A

Inactivity fee

$0

N/A

Cash out fee

$10

You pay this fee for cashing out funds on your card apart from ATM withdrawals.

How to use the Cash Passport

Start using your Cash Passport by following these easy steps.

Activate the card. Get your Cash Passport at a participating distribution outlet, or apply online if you can wait more than three business days for it to be delivered. You can activate your card online once you receive it.

Load funds on the card. Either top up funds at a participating distribution outlet or do it online via a debit card, BPAY or bank transfer. Debit card payments are instantaneous, while BPAY and bank transfer payments can take up to three business days to be settled (which further delays card delivery by post). The exchange rate at the time of settlement will be applied in these cases, and may differ from the rate at the time of your transaction. The minimum loading and reloading amount is AUD$100 per transaction, but maximum limits differ with transaction types.

Manage your online account. Once you’ve registered your card online, you will be able to log in anytime to manage your account. This includes checking transactions and balances, transferring currencies between currency wallets and reloading funds whenever you need.

What do I do if I return home with foreign currency remaining on the card?

You may keep these currencies on your card for your next trip or cash out the available funds immediately for a fee of $10. The funds will then be transferred directly to your nominated bank account.

Who do I contact if my card is lost, stolen or damaged?

To report a lost or stolen card, or a breach of your PIN security, you should immediately call the 24-hour Global Emergency Assistance helpline at 1800 098 231 or +44 207 649 9404 when overseas. You can then arrange to get a replacement card, so it’s important to contact the helpline as soon as possible.

How to apply for a Cash Passport

You can apply for the Cash Passport in a few minutes online. You will need to provide personal details including your name, date of birth, phone number and home address. You will also need to provide your Australian passport or Australian driver’s licence number for identification verification purposes. You can apply for an additional card at this time for $5. Your new card(s) will be sent to your home via Express Post in three days if you pay by debit card, or longer if you pay by BPAY or bank transfer since those funds will require time to clear.

You can also apply for a Cash Passport in-store at Australia Post, Travelex, IMB bank branches, Suncorp bank branches and The Currency Exchange stores to name a few locations.

Are there any eligibility requirements?

You must have an Australian passport or Australian driver’s licence to apply.

With so many waived fees, the Cash Passport Mastercard is a strong contender among travel cards. However, it’s wise to compare your options before applying to ensure you’re applying for the right card for you.

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413 Responses

BrianJuly 28, 2017

Does “locked-in exchange rate” mean exactly that? e.g. if AU$1.20 buys US$1 now, and I load the card now, will that rate remain the same? Each time I purchase/withdraw/reload, will the rate be the same?

With the locked-in exchange rate, you will know exactly how much foreign currency you will get. This means regardless of whether exchange rates move up or down, you will always know the exact amount of foreign currency you have at your disposal. However, the exchange rate you’ve locked-in during that period is applicable only to the total amount you have loaded on your Cash Passport at that time and not for the succeeding reloads.

Thank you for contacting finder. We are a comparison website and general information service, we’re more than happy to offer general advice.

When withdrawing cash or making payments with the Multi-currency Cash Passport, you’ll need to select ‘credit’. Even though you have to select ‘credit’, the funds will still be withdrawn from your funds that you’ve loaded on the card.

“In-store” is defined by Cash Passport as a distribution outlet where you can do reload to your card. EFTPOS is probably a more appropriate term to card purchases at the store where they swipe your card to debit the amount.

I would like to know what happens when a card is stolen. We travel every year for 3 months overseas,preload the cash card and depend on it for the extent of the journey. Does Multicurrency MC replace a card? If this was to happen at the beginning of a 3 month trip what are the options and how would MC deal with this
Thank you in advance for a response

Thank you for your question and for contacting finder.com.au – we are a financial comparison website and general information service designed to help consumers make better decisions. Please note that we are not affiliated with any company we feature on our site.

Once your Cash Passport MasterCard has expired, you can no longer use it. If you want to have another card, you will need to order a new card by completing an online application. Please also refer to the steps outlined above for further details.

Meanwhile, please keep in mind that you will need to cash the funds out from card before it expires minus any applicable fees.

Unfortunately, you can’t change the PIN that was assigned to your card. If case you’ve forgotten your PIN, you can get in touch with the Cash Passport team using any of the numbers we have listed above and they’ll send you a PIN reminder.

The Multi-currency Cash Passport primary and supplementary cards should both only be used by the primary cardholder. While you could technically use either card if you gave your partner the PIN to use the card, they are intended to only be used by the primary cardholder.

When withdrawing cash with the Multi-currency Cash Passport, you’ll need to select ‘credit’. Even though you have to select ‘credit’, your funds will still be withdrawn from your funds that you’ve loaded on the card.

As a financial comparison service, we’re unable to make any specific recommendations, as the best option will depend on your individual circumstances. I would suggest looking at the different exchange rates on the Multi-currency Cash Passport to compare your options and determine whether loading Thai Baht directly on your card is the more competitive option or whether it’s best to load Australian dollars first and then transfer it to THB.

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